Walking in Nature May Reduce Negativity

Taking a walk outside really can help you clear your head — but only if you go walking in a natural, green place, a small new study suggests.

Researchers found that the 19 people in the study who took 90-minute walks in a natural setting had lower levels of negative, repetitive thoughts about themselves, compared with another 19 people who took 90-minute walks in an urban setting. Previous research has linked such thoughts, called rumination, to a heightened risk of depression and related conditions.

“It was pretty striking that a 90-minute walk had this much of an impact,” said study author Gregory Bratman, a doctoral student in the department of biology at Stanford University.